This paper presents technical and application aspects of a new software suite, MCP (Methane Control and Prediction), developed for addressing some of the methane and methane control issues in longwall coal mines. The software suite consists of dynamic link library (DLL) extensions to MS-Access written in C++. In order to create the DLLs, various statistical, mathematical approaches, prediction ...

This paper describes two robotic systems developed for acquiring accurate volumetric maps of underground mines. One system is based on a cart instrumented by laser range finders, pushed through a mine by people. Another is a remotely controlled mobile robot equipped with laser range finders. To build consistent maps of large mines with many cycles, we describe an algorithm for estimating global...

Surface coal mining in Appalachia has caused extensive replacement of forest with non-forested land cover, much of which is unmanaged and unproductive. Although forested ecosystems are valued by society for both marketable products and ecosystem services, forests have not been restored on most Appalachian mined lands because traditional reclamation practices, encouraged by regulatory policies, ...

This paper presents a low power, cost-effective, And Zigbee protocol based wireless sensor network that provides an intelligent surveillance and safety system for underground coal mines. The system consists of wireless connection of several nodes. Sensor node mainly consists of Zigbee protocol based low power CC2530 transceiver integrated with a high performance, low power microcontroller on si...

Environmentally and technologically sulphur is a deleterious constitute in coal which makes it unsuitable for use in metallurgical industries unless the sulphur level can be reduced to the tolerable limit. Characterization of the various forms of sulphur and their associations in coal is an essential issue to find and propose a suitable desulphurization method. In this research, to evaluate sul...

Since the first record of a colliery explosion in Belgium, nearly 300 years ago, significant improvements have been achieved in the prevention of explosions in mines. However, based on the past surface TBM project safety statistics, gas explosion hazards are not unique to coal mines but also occur in TBM projects with 48 explosion fatalities recorded worldwide calling for continued diligence an...

Environment monitoring is important for the safety of underground coal mine production, and it is also an important application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). We put forward an integrated environment monitoring system for underground coal mine, which uses the existing Cable Monitoring System (CMS) as the main body and the WSN with multi-parameter monitoring as the supplementary technique. ...

Acid drainage is most common problem or associated with almost all mines containing sulphide deposits and coal containing high pyrite. Acid drainage is caused when rain water and or seepage from rock formation interact with sulphur bearing minerals. It produces water of high acidity with higher metal concentration. Acid drainage is most susceptible to dissolve heavy metals particularly Iron, Zi...

The Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) is located within the Vistnla and Oder basins in the southern part of Poland. The coal seams in the USCB are exploited by the underground mining of average depth of 650 m, up to 1200 m. Studies on hydrogeochemical environment showed a normal vertical and horizontal hydrogeochemical zonation in the whole of USCB. As a general trend the level of groundwater mi...